Methods and apparatus for sealing a drain

ABSTRACT

One embodiment provides a valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture. The assembly is configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network. The valve assembly includes a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber. The diffuser component includes one or more apertures formed therein for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber. The position of the one or more apertures defines a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected. A body component defines the secondary chamber, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow from the primary chamber. The body component includes a sealing assembly configurable in a first configuration in which fluid material in the secondary chamber is permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity, and a second configuration in which material is not permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity thereby to seal the drainage aperture.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the management of drainage apertures, and in particular to the management of drainage apertures in industrial environments.

Embodiments of invention have been developed primarily for selectively sealing a drainage aperture, and will be described hereinafter with reference to that application.

However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use, and finds application in other contexts.

This applications claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2008902507, and the contents of that application are hereby incorporated by cross reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

It is common to provide drainage apertures in a floor area, particularly in industrial environments and operational forecourts, such as loading/dispatch areas, airports, stevedore platforms and factory and manufacturing floor areas. Materials, primarily being fluids, but inevitably including some solids, pass through such drainage apertures, and enter a wider drainage network (which may output to a body of water, such as a waterway or the ocean).

In industrial environments, there are often large quantities of hazardous materials in use which should preferably not be permitted to enter the wider drainage network. For this reason, it is necessary to be able to quickly seal off a drainage aperture in the event of spillage of such materials, thereby to reduce the likelihood and/or extent of downstream contamination.

In conventional situations, upon detection of spillage of a hazardous material near a drainage aperture, an operator uses a cover to seal the drainage aperture. This often requires the operator leaving the scene of spillage to obtain the cover. By this time, substantive amounts of the hazardous materials may have already escaped through the drainage aperture. Furthermore, such covers are typically very heavy, large and cumbersome. In many circumstances, a single operator will not be able to apply the cover without the aid of lifting equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment provides a valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture, the assembly being configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network, the valve assembly including:

a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber, the diffuser component including a sidewall that upwardly extends between a base and a top, the top having an aperture formed therein for defining an inlet for receiving the flow, the sidewall having one or more apertures formed therein for defining a diffuser outlet for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber, wherein the one or more apertures are upwardly spaced from the base, thereby to define a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected;

a body component for defining a secondary chamber, the body component upwardly extending between being a sealing assembly and a top, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow through the diffuser outlet, wherein the sealing assembly includes a base component and an actuator plate, each having a respective one or more openings, wherein the actuator plate is movable between a first configuration in which the respective openings overlap thereby to permit egress of a portion of the flow into the wider drainage network, and a second configuration in which the respective openings do not overlap thereby to seal the drainage aperture; and

a handle assembly coupled to the actuator plate for allowing a user to selectively progress the actuator plate between the first and second configurations.

One embodiment provides a valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture, the assembly being configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network, the valve assembly including:

a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber, the diffuser component including one or more apertures formed therein for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber, wherein the position of the one or more apertures defines a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected; and a body component for defining a secondary chamber, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow from the primary chamber, wherein the body component includes a sealing assembly configurable in a first configuration in which fluid material in the secondary chamber is permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity, and a second configuration in which material is not permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity thereby to seal the drainage aperture.

According to one embodiment of the invention there is provided a valve assembly for a drain, the assembly including:

-   -   a first chamber for receiving a mixture of water and         contaminants;     -   an insert for regulating the flow of the mixture within the         first chamber such that a portion of the contaminants is         separated from the mixture and retained in the first chamber;         and     -   a second chamber, fluidly connected to the first chamber for         receiving the mixture flowing from the first chamber, the second         chamber having a valve for discharging the mixture into the         drain.

According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a valve assembly for a drain, the assembly including:

-   -   a first chamber for receiving a mixture of water and         contaminants;     -   a second chamber having a valve for discharging part of the         mixture into the drain, wherein the second chamber is fluidly         connected to the first chamber for receiving the mixture         therefrom and wherein the first chamber is insertable within the         second chamber;     -   a telescopic valve actuator for opening and closing the valve,         the actuator having an extended configuration for operating the         valve and a refracted position for concealing the actuator.

According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a valve assembly for a drain, the assembly including:

-   -   a first chamber for receiving a mixture of water and         contaminants, and for filtering at least part of the         contaminants to produce a filtered mixture; and     -   a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber for         receiving the filtered mixture, the second chamber having a         valve that is selectively movable between a sealing         configuration and a discharging configuration;     -   wherein in the discharging position, the filtered mixture is         substantially discharged into the drain and, in the sealing         position, the mixture or the filtered mixture is substantially         prevented from being discharged into the drain

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms “comprising”, “comprised of”, or “which comprises” is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term “comprising”, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms “including”, “which includes” or “that includes” as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, “including” is synonymous with and means the same as “comprising”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a valve assembly according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the valve assembly.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the valve assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the valve assembly taken on the line A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the valve assembly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a diffuser component of the valve assembly.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the diffuser component.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the diffuser component.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the diffuser component taken on the line B-B of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a base component of the valve assembly.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the base component.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the base component taken on the line C-C of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a base lip component of the valve assembly.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the base lip component.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the base lip component taken on the line A-A of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the base lip component taken on the line B-B of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an actuator plate of the valve assembly.

FIG. 18 is a top view of the actuator plate.

FIG. 19 is a side view of the actuator plate.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a handle assembly of the valve assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In overview, one embodiment provides a valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture. The assembly is configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network. The valve assembly includes a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber. The diffuser component includes one or more apertures formed therein for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber. The position of the one or more apertures defines a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected. A body component defines the secondary chamber, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow from the primary chamber. The body component includes a sealing assembly configurable in a first configuration in which fluid material in the secondary chamber is permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity, and a second configuration in which material is not permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity thereby to seal the drainage aperture.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a valve assembly for selectively sealing an industrial drainage aperture. One such embodiment is described by reference to the present Figures, which illustrate an exemplary valve assembly 101, and various components thereof. These Figures are not to scale, and not all reference numerals are replicated in each Figure.

In the present embodiments, assembly 101 is configured for use in industrial environments. Industrially-sized drainage apertures are greater than 200 mm in diameter (often in the order of 450 mm to 550 mm). This requires a relatively heavy duty industrial sealing assembly, contrasted with smaller assemblies which may be suitable for residential uses (for example in basins, bathtubs and the like) but not suitable in industrial environments.

As noted, assembly 101 is configured for sealing a drainage aperture (not shown). In this regard, assembly 101 is configured to be seated within the drainage aperture, such that a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network.

To facilitate seating in the drainage aperture, assembly 101 includes a peripheral flange 102 which abuttingly engages against and overlaps with the periphery of the drainage aperture. That is, at least a peripheral portion of flange 102 lies on the floor at the peripheral edge of the aperture. In this manner, assembly 101 effectively acts as a plug. In some embodiments assembly 101 is held in place under influence of gravity alone. In other embodiments it is sealed in place.

Although the present embodiments show a right cylindrical assembly for sealing a circular drainage aperture, other shaped assemblies are used in other embodiments for sealing differently shaped apertures.

In the present embodiment, assembly 101 includes two main components, being a body 103 and a diffuser component 104. These are presently formed substantially from high impact polypropylene, although other materials may be used (including, but not limited to, other plastics).

Flange 102 is provided on body 103(which in use abuts with the periphery of the drainage opening), and diffuser component 104 is centrally nested within body 103, having an abutment surface 105 which contacts with a corresponding surface 106 on body 103 thereby to retain component 104 in place under gravitational influence. In some embodiments body 103 is fixedly attached to diffuser component 104.

Diffuser component 104 defines a primary chamber 110. In this regard, diffuser component 104 is generally cylindrical with a sidewall 111 that upwardly extends between a base 112 and a top 113. The top 113 has an aperture 114 formed therein for defining an inlet for receiving the flow. The sidewall has one or more apertures 115 formed therein for defining a diffuser outlet for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber 120. Apertures are 115 upwardly spaced from base 112, thereby to define a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected due to gravitational separation.

Apertures 115 are the primary exit point for fluid materials in the primary chamber. In some embodiments sidewall 111 includes one or more secondary apertures (not shown) provided lower on the sidewall than apertures 115. These allow a limited passage of flow, such that liquids in the primary changes leak out over time. These are only of substantive effect in situations where the volume of fluid in the primary chamber is insufficient for to reach the height of the apertures 115.

Top 113 includes substantially planar annular peripheral area, which defines a surface over which the flow passes prior to entering the primary chamber through aperture 114. An inner sidewall 118 downwardly extends from the inner periphery of top 113 (being the outer periphery of aperture 114), this serving to prevent the flow from passing directly from the diffuser inlet to the diffuser outlet. That is, the flow first passes through the lower portion, and a portion thereof rises in the region between sidewalls 111 and 118 before passing through apertures 115.

Body 103 includes a sidewall 121, which upwardly extends between being a sealing assembly 122 and a top 123, thereby to define the secondary chamber 120. Body 103 is positioned relative to diffuser component 104 to receive the portion of the flow that passes through the diffuser outlet (i.e. through apertures 115). That is, the flow first passes into the primary chamber through aperture 114, and then into the secondary chamber through apertures 115.

Sealing assembly 122 includes a base component 130 and an actuator plate 131. These each have a respective one or more openings (being two each in this embodiment). The base component apertures are designated reference numeral 132 and the actuator plate opening designated reference numeral 133. These are similarly shaped, being oval in the present embodiment.

Sealing assembly 132 additionally includes a base lip component 135 that is connected to the base component 130. Base lip component 135 and base component 130 collectively sandwich actuator plate 133, and in doing so define a compartment in which the actuator plate is rotatable about a vertical axis (being the axis of assembly 101), whilst being vertically held in place between base component 130 and base lip component 135.

Actuator plate 133 is rotatable between:

-   -   A first configuration in which the respective openings 132 and         133 overlap, thereby to permit egress of at least a portion of         the flow into the wider drainage network; and     -   A second configuration in which the respective openings do not         overlap, thereby to seal the drainage aperture.

In the present embodiment, sealing between the actuator plate and base component is achieved by the sandwiching of the actuator plate, combined with the influence of resilient o-rings 140, which are peripherally mounted about openings 132. These are presently o-rings formed of EPDM, although other resilient o-rings may be used. O-rings 140 are securely held in channels 141 formed in base component 130, and extend upwardly beyond those channels to resiliently abut with plate 131. In this manner, the o-rings abut with the actuator plate thereby to create a seal between the actuator plate and base component to prevent the egress of fluids when the actuator plate is in the second configuration.

In other embodiment alternate approaches are taken for sealing the aperture plate to the base component. For example, one embodiment makes use of a spring-loaded arrangement whereby the actuator plate is centrally resiliently biased into sealing engagement with the base component.

A handle assembly 150 is coupled to actuator plate 131 for allowing a user to selectively progress the actuator plate between the first and second configurations. In the present embodiment, this handle assembly is telescopic for allowing the height of the handle member to be adjusted.

The handle assembly is fixedly mounted to actuator plate 131 by way of a mounting formation 151. Formation 151 additionally extends through base component 130, and is held in place by way of an end nut 152 at the lower extremity of assembly 101. A series of o-rings and washers (such as o-ring 152) are provided so that the sealing of actuator plate 131 to base component 130 is not affected by formation 151 passing through aperture 152 of base component 130.

In some embodiments formation 151 is replaced by an aperture in the actuator plate through which the handle assembly extends. The handle assembly is then vertically held in place by end nut 152. In such an embodiment, locking formations are provided such that the handle assembly remains rotationally fixed to the actuator plate (whilst being rotationally decoupled from body 103 and diffuser component 104)

Diffuser component 104 includes a central core 160 that extends through the inlet for housing the handle assembly. Although this central core is open at the top, its positioning with respect to diffuser component 104 results in a low probability of the flow entering the central core in normal operation.

FIG. 13 to FIG. 16 illustrate a portion of base lip component 135. In some embodiments base lip component is defined by a single circular component; in other embodiments it is constructed from a plurality of modular pieces such as that illustrated, which are positioned together to define a circular component. A surface 170 abuts against base component 130, and the upper side of actuator plate 131 abuts against a surface 171. A channel 172 is provided for assisting movement of the actuator plate between the first and second configurations. In particular, grit and other solid materials are free to collect in that channel, and in doing so interfere less with the movement of the actuator plate.

In the present embodiment, the actuator plate is keyed for locating in either the first or second configuration. This will be best appreciated upon review of FIG. 18, which shows irregularities in the periphery of the actuator plate, and FIG. 14 which show formations within a portion of the lip component. Specifically, edge 174 abuts with edge 175, thereby to restrict movement of actuator plate 131 beyond a predetermined maximum angle of rotation in one direction, and a similar approach is used to restrict movement in the other direction. This provides a user with tactile feedback to confirm whether the actuator plate has been moved into the first or second configurations (i.e. whether the valve assembly has been correctly opened or closed). Markings are also optionally provided on the exterior of the valve assembly to indicate which handle positions correspond to open and closed configurations.

Handle assembly 150 extends upwardly between a lower end 156, which in the present embodiment is fixedly mounted to the actuator plate (but in other embodiments extends through the actuator plate and base component) to a handle 155 (which is optionally removable). A sheath 153 houses a strut 154, the strut being axially slidable with respect to the sheath thereby to allow telescopic extension of the handle assembly. In use, the handle assembly is preferable configured such that handle 155 is approximately level with the floor, or slightly recessed within assembly 101. To open or close assembly 101, a user grasps handle 155, pulls upwardly to extend the handle assembly, and rotates clockwise or counter clockwise to open or seal assembly 101 (depending on specific configuration).

Lifting lugs 180 are provide to allow extraction of diffuser component 14 from body 103, thereby to allow removal of collected sediments. In some embodiments these lugs are provided to allow extraction of assembly 101 from the drainage aperture (in cases where the diffuser component is fixedly mounted to the body component).

It will be appreciated that the above disclosure provides for useful devices for allowing the selective sealing of drainage apertures. These allow for a user to act quickly in the event that hazardous materials are spilled, thereby reducing the likelihood of downstream contamination in a wider drainage network.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention extends to include methods for sealing drainage apertures using devices such as those described herein. 

1. A valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture, the assembly being configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network, the valve assembly including: a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber, the diffuser component including a sidewall that upwardly extends between a base and a top, the top having an aperture formed therein for defining an inlet for receiving the flow, the sidewall having one or more apertures formed therein for defining a diffuser outlet for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber, wherein the one or more apertures are upwardly spaced from the base, thereby to define a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected; a body component for defining a secondary chamber, the body component upwardly extending between being a sealing assembly and a top, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow through the diffuser outlet, wherein the sealing assembly includes a base component and an actuator plate, each having a respective one or more openings, wherein the actuator plate is movable between a first configuration in which the respective openings overlap thereby to permit egress of a portion of the flow into the wider drainage network, and a second configuration in which the respective openings do not overlap thereby to seal the drainage aperture; and a handle assembly coupled to the actuator plate for allowing a user to selectively progress the actuator plate between the first and second configurations.
 2. A valve assembly according to claim 1 including, for the one or more openings of the base component, a respective one or more resilient o-rings, these being peripherally mounted about their respective openings, wherein the one or more o-rings abut with the actuator plate thereby to facilitate a seal between the actuator plate and the base component to prevent the egress of fluids when the actuator plate is in the second configuration.
 3. A valve assembly according to claim 2 wherein the sealing assembly includes a base lip component that is connected to the base component, wherein the base component and the base lip component collectively sandwich the actuator plate and define a compartment in which the actuator plate is movable between the first and second configurations.
 4. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the actuator component is keyed for locating in either the first or second configuration.
 5. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the handle assembly includes a handle member that extends above the drainage aperture.
 6. A valve assembly according to claim 5 wherein the handle assembly is telescopic for allowing the height of the handle member to be adjusted.
 7. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the body component includes a peripheral flange for facilitating the seating of the valve assembly within the drainage aperture.
 8. A valve assembly according to claim 7 wherein the diffuser component is centrally nested within the body component.
 9. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the diffuser component includes a central core that extends through the inlet for housing the handle assembly.
 10. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the movement of the actuator plate is movable between the first configuration and second configuration is rotation about a vertical axis.
 11. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the one or more apertures of the diffuser component are primary apertures, and one or more smaller secondary apertures are spaced downwardly from the one or more primary apertures.
 12. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein the drainage aperture is an industrially-sized drainage aperture.
 13. A method managing a drainage aperture, the method including seating a drainage assembly according to claim 1 within the drainage assembly.
 14. A valve assembly for selectively sealing a drainage aperture, the assembly being configured for seating within the drainage aperture such a flow of matter that would otherwise enter the drainage aperture passes through the valve assembly prior to release into a wider drainage network, the valve assembly including: a diffuser component for defining a primary chamber, the diffuser component including one or more apertures formed therein for passing a portion of the flow from the primary chamber to a secondary chamber, wherein the position of the one or more apertures defines a lower portion of the primary chamber in which sediments are collected; and a body component for defining a secondary chamber, the body component being positioned relative to the diffuser component to receive the portion of the flow from the primary chamber, wherein the body component includes a sealing assembly configurable in a first configuration in which fluid material in the secondary chamber is permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity, and a second configuration in which material is not permitted to egress form the valve assembly under influence of gravity thereby to seal the drainage aperture. 